Photo by Meg Moore/megpix.com.

Presented by Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Created by Richard Maltby, Jr., Conceived by William Meade
Adapted from the larger-cast Broadway production by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edwards
Co-direction: Karen Oster and Correy West
Choreography: Correy West
Cast: Patrick Dinnsen, Nathan Yates Douglass, Jenna Fawcett, Andrew Frace, Celeste Vandermillen

November 26-December 14, 2025
Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Lowell Memorial Auditorium
50 E Merrimack St.
Lowell, MA 01852

Review by Craig Idlebrook

Content advisory: Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash is suitable for teenage and adult audiences. This musical celebrates the iconic Johnny Cash, featuring details of Johnny’s career, covering topics such as substance abuse, firearms, violence and murder.

Much has changed in the fifty-six years since Cash first recorded A Boy Named Sue. Some may feel that “A Boy Named Sue” is sexist and outdated, and this is certainly a reasonable view. However, just as it did in 1969, the song invites more than one interpretation. Please read here for some additional thoughts:  Further Reflection on A Boy Named Sue

LOWELL, Mass. — It is never a good sign for a biographical staging when the person you came to the play with leans over in the second act and asks, “Which one of those guys is Johnny Cash?”

It may be a testament to the music of Cash and the skillful performance of the small cast that this question only arose in the second act. Too often, we were swept up by the sweet harmonies and Americana-before-it-was-Americana sound on stage.

That’s just the rub. Was this a play or a concert? The title seems to disclose that the performance is intended solely to be the “music of Johnny Cash”, but the action on stage had just enough theater to be confusing. There is brief dialogue, some pantomime, and some direct musical-like interaction to provide a few breadcrumbs into the life and times of Johnny Cash, but not enough to follow the trail to lead to the full picture of his complicated and rich biography.  Continue reading →